FLI’s Regional Partners from Gilgit-Baltistan Convene in Gilgit

Gilgit, June 18 — The Forum for Language Initiatives (FLI) brought together its regional partners from Gilgit-Baltistan in Gilgit City for a strategic networking meeting aimed at strengthening collaboration for language and cultural preservation.

Representatives from six language communities—Shina, Balti, Burushaski, Khowar, Wakhi, and Domaaki—participated in the session. The gathering also included government and academic stakeholders: Mr. Abdul Saboor represented the Gilgit-Baltistan Government, Dr. Kaneez Fatima from Karakoram International University, and Dr. Issa, Head of the English Department at the University of Baltistan, who delivered the keynote address.

During the meeting, participants reviewed the objectives of their previous networking session and developed new plans for community-level and institutional engagement. Each partner shared updates on last year’s advocacy efforts, while Mr. Saboor guided them on approaching institutions for funding and support.

FLI facilitated the event to strengthen ties not only among language communities but also with academia and government bodies. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to supporting community representatives in advocacy at both regional and federal levels, while encouraging them to activate their networks for the cause of languages and cultures.

This was the second regional meeting of FLI’s network in Gilgit-Baltistan. Earlier this year, many of the same partners had participated in a national-level gathering. In the next session, today’s participants will present on the implementation of the plans developed in Gilgit.